Could Your Business Website Be Putting You at Risk?

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Once a business website is up and running, it’s easy to forget about it. If the pages load, the contact form works, and everything looks fine, there may not seem to be any reason to touch it. But a website that goes too long without maintenance can quietly become a security risk.

Many small-business websites are built on WordPress, which powers more than 40% of websites worldwide, according to W3Techs. WordPress itself is generally secure when properly maintained. The bigger concern is often the plugins and themes connected to it, especially when they haven’t been updated in months or even years.

Why Outdated Websites Are Easy Targets

Most cybercriminals aren’t searching for your business specifically. Instead, they use automated tools to scan thousands of websites for known vulnerabilities. If a scanner finds an outdated plugin, theme, or other weakness, it may be able to exploit it automatically.

That’s what makes old plugins particularly risky. When developers discover a security flaw, they typically release an update that patches the problem. If that update isn’t installed, the vulnerability remains open. Attackers may already know exactly how to take advantage of it.

Security researchers who monitor WordPress vulnerabilities consistently find that many security issues come from third-party plugins and themes rather than WordPress itself. Keeping those components current is an important part of protecting your website.

What Hackers Can Do With a Compromised Website

A hacked website doesn’t always look hacked. In fact, attackers often want the site to keep working normally so their activity goes unnoticed for as long as possible.

Once they gain access, they may use your website for several purposes:

• Distributing malware. Attackers can modify your site so visitors are exposed to malicious software or redirected to a page that attempts to install it.
• Creating spam or scam pages. Hidden pages may be added to promote fake products, questionable services, or scams while taking advantage of your website’s existing reputation with search engines.
• Collecting form data. If your website includes contact, registration, or checkout forms, attackers may be able to capture information visitors enter, including personal or payment details.
• Redirecting visitors. Someone who clicks on your website may be sent to an entirely different site, including phishing, scam, or malware pages.

Even if the attack is aimed at your visitors, your business deals with the consequences. Search engines may flag the site, rankings can drop, and browsers may display security warnings. Instead of reaching your homepage, customers could be greeted with a message warning them that the website may be dangerous.

How to Know if Your Website Could Be Vulnerable

Your level of risk depends partly on how your website is built and managed.

If you use a hosted website builder such as Wix, Squarespace, or Shopify, much of the underlying maintenance and security is handled by the platform. That doesn’t eliminate every security concern, but it generally reduces the amount of technical upkeep you’re responsible for.

A self-hosted WordPress website is different. These sites are often created by a web designer or agency and hosted through a separate provider. Someone needs to be responsible for updating WordPress, plugins, and themes and making sure the site stays secure.

The problem is that responsibility isn’t always clear. For many small businesses, a website is launched and then rarely touched again.

If you aren’t sure who maintains your website, it hasn’t received updates in a year or longer, or it relies on plugins that are no longer supported by their developers, it may be time for a closer look.

Simple Ways to Strengthen Your Website Security

Start by keeping everything current. WordPress, plugins, and themes should be updated as new versions and security fixes become available. Depending on your setup, some updates can also be handled automatically.

• Delete plugins you don’t need. Every plugin adds another potential point of failure. If you aren’t using one, remove it rather than simply leaving it inactive.
• Choose trusted plugins. Look for plugins that are widely used, well-reviewed, and actively maintained. Be cautious with anything that hasn’t received an update in a long time.
• Check for abandoned plugins. Developers sometimes stop supporting plugins, and others may be removed from plugin marketplaces because of security concerns. Review your plugins periodically and replace any that are no longer maintained.
• Protect administrator accounts. Use strong, unique passwords for website administrator accounts and enable multi-factor authentication whenever possible.
• Consider a security plugin or web firewall. A reputable security solution can help block common attacks and alert you to suspicious activity or unexpected website changes. Your web host or IT provider can help you choose an appropriate option.
• Maintain reliable backups. A recent backup can make recovery much easier if your website is compromised. Without one, you may be forced to clean or rebuild the site manually.
• Make ownership clear. Decide who is responsible for website maintenance and security. Whether it’s your web designer, IT provider, hosting company, or someone internally, website security should clearly belong to someone.

Steps to Take if Your Website Gets Hacked

If you discover that your website has been compromised, acting quickly can help limit the damage.

• Get professional help quickly. Properly cleaning a compromised website can be complicated. Contact your web host, IT provider, or a reputable website security service for assistance.
• Temporarily take the site offline. A basic “down for maintenance” page can prevent customers from being exposed to malicious content while the problem is being investigated.
• Reset your passwords. Using a device you know is secure, change the passwords for your hosting account and website administrator accounts. Enable multi-factor authentication where available.
• Restore a clean backup. If you have a backup from before the compromise occurred, restoring it may be the fastest way to recover. Without one, the site may need to be cleaned manually.
• Update and clean up before relaunching. Update WordPress, plugins, and themes before putting the site back online. Remove anything you don’t recognize or no longer use so the same vulnerability isn’t immediately exploited again.
• Notify people if their information was exposed. If your website collects customer information or processes payments, determine whether any data may have been compromised. If it was, take the appropriate steps to notify affected individuals.

A business website shouldn’t be something you launch and then forget about. Just like computers, software, and other technology your company relies on, websites need ongoing maintenance to stay secure.

A few routine updates and security checks can go a long way toward preventing a small website vulnerability from becoming a much larger business problem. Want to make sure your business website and technology are properly protected? Contact Twintel to learn how our team can help strengthen your security and reduce potential risks.